Laser Pulse 10 Nanosecond: Explained

In summary, a laser pulse of 10 nanoseconds refers to the duration of the pulse emitted by a laser, typically measured as the full-width half maximum in the time domain. This duration can vary depending on the type of laser, with nanosecond, picosecond, and femtosecond lasers emitting pulses of different lengths. The frequency of the pulses is also an important factor, with higher frequencies resulting in more pulses per second. The energy density of a laser can be increased by using a capacitor bank to pump large amounts of energy into the laser in a short period of time, resulting in shorter pulses and higher frequencies.
  • #1
touqra
287
0
What does it mean by laser pulse 10 nanosecond?
 
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  • #2
How many different things could it possibly mean? Such pulses are usually generated by a "Q switch". Here is what Wikipedia has to say.
 
  • #3
It is the duration of the pulse, typically measured as the full-width half maximum in the time domain (i.e. the length of time it takes for the pulse to go from half its peak intensity to the peak intensity and back to half its peak intensity).

Lasers are sometimes described as 'nanosecond', 'picosecond' or 'femtosecond' lasers. These terms are in reference to the duration of the pulses these lasers emit.

Claude.
 
  • #4
touqra said:
What does it mean by laser pulse 10 nanosecond?
Or maybe you think a laser beam is a continuous stream of light, its not. The laser machine sends out chunks of beam, but so many so fast (1x10-7 in your case).
 
  • #5
Mk said:
Or maybe you think a laser beam is a continuous stream of light, its not.
Yeah. You almost have to consider it to be a photonic machine gun. The pulse duration can be equated to the length of a bullet, and the pulse frequency to the firing rate. That's the reason that you can get such enormous energy density in a laser; if you take a couple of hours to pump 5 megawatts into a capacitor bank, then release it in a millisecond chopped into some picosecond pulses...
 
  • #6
Danger said:
Yeah. You almost have to consider it to be a photonic machine gun. The pulse duration can be equated to the length of a bullet, and the pulse frequency to the firing rate.

Do you mean the pulse frequency, as in the frequency, calculated as:

[tex]frequency = \frac{lightspeed, c}{duration, 10ns} [/tex]
 
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  • #7
This is EXACTLY an example where if you do not put your question in its proper context, you will not get the answer to your question. Please put some effort to elaborate where you are reading or using such a thing. This will tell the rest of us the relevant "frame of reference" where your question is applied.

From my perspective, it is simply a time duration of the laser. In fact, I use laser pulses 8 to 10 ps long. This is the length in time of each laser shot that hits a photocathode.

Zz.
 
  • #8
touqra said:
Do you mean the pulse frequency, as in the frequency, calculated as:

[tex]frequency = \frac{lightspeed, c}{duration, 10ns} [/tex]
No; sorry about the confusion. As Zapper said, it's really very basic. The duration, which your original question was about, is how long the laser fires for one particular pulse. The frequency that I referred to is simply how many of those pulses are fired per second.
 
  • #9
Danger said:
snip...That's the reason that you can get such enormous energy density in a laser; if you take a couple of hours to pump 5 megawatts into a capacitor bank, then release it in a millisecond chopped into some picosecond pulses...

Just to be clear for the original poster's sake and the sake of people who may not know different, I believe that you mean that you would pump some number of joules (maybe 5 megajoules) into a capacitor bank rather than pumping 5 megawatts into it (unless you have a 5 MW power supply that you use to charge the bank and that's what you meant).
 
  • #10
Geoff St. Germaine said:
(unless you have a 5 MW power supply that you use to charge the bank and that's what you meant).
That is what I meant. Thanks for the reminder not to use sloppy language here. :redface:
 

1. What is a laser pulse with a duration of 10 nanoseconds?

A laser pulse with a duration of 10 nanoseconds is a short burst of laser light that lasts for 10 billionth of a second. It is a rapid and powerful burst of energy that is used in various scientific and industrial applications.

2. How is a laser pulse with a duration of 10 nanoseconds produced?

A laser pulse with a duration of 10 nanoseconds is typically produced by using a laser system that emits short bursts of coherent light. This can be achieved by using a mode-locked laser, which produces a series of ultra-short pulses with a duration of 10 nanoseconds or less.

3. What are the applications of a laser pulse with a duration of 10 nanoseconds?

A laser pulse with a duration of 10 nanoseconds has a wide range of applications in various fields such as materials processing, laser spectroscopy, medical imaging, and high-precision measurements. It is also used in research for studying ultrafast processes in atoms and molecules.

4. How does the duration of a laser pulse affect its energy and power?

The duration of a laser pulse is directly related to its energy and power. A shorter pulse duration means a higher peak power and energy, while a longer pulse duration means a lower peak power and energy. This is why 10 nanosecond laser pulses are often used for high-power applications.

5. What are the advantages of using a laser pulse with a duration of 10 nanoseconds?

One of the main advantages of using a laser pulse with a duration of 10 nanoseconds is its high peak power and energy, which makes it suitable for applications that require precise and rapid energy delivery. Additionally, it allows for the study of ultrafast processes and has a wide range of applications in different fields.

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